Relocating: Post-Grad Tips For Making The Move

Posted by The Editors on March 15, 2012

Senior year of college is wrapping up and you may feel stuck and wonder what’s next. Do you look for a job close to home so you can squat under your parents’ roof until you make a decent salary? Or do you follow your childhood dreams of moving to California and rough it out as a waiter before you’re discovered as the next big thing?

Ah, decisions, decisions. To go or not to go, that is the question.

Some of the best advice I’d gotten after graduation was to not let my job dictate where I live, if I can afford it. If you’re anything like me and are feeling the post-grad itch to up and go, here’s some advice to take into consideration before making the big move.

Figure out where you want to live. Unless you plan on living life on the road, ripping through the countryside in your VW beetle you’ve dubbed the Blue Breezy, it’s wise to have a plan. Make a list of the top five cities you could see yourself living in and do your research. Look up the average price of a one-bedroom apartment, use CareerRelocate to find out where your career skills are in demand, and compare salary figures for each place.

Find a place you can afford. Once you’ve narrowed down where you want to live, make sure you can live there comfortably. You don’t want to move to a new city and realize all your savings or salary is going towards rent each month. You want to have some spending money left over to explore, have some fun, and buy yourself groceries.

What’s love got to do with it? Don’t move somewhere for love—unless you think you’ll be happy there if/when the relationship ends. I’ve heard stories of coworkers and friends who ditched their jobs and comfortable living situations because they fell in love. Sadly, not many of these stories have a happy ending. It doesn’t mean you won’t have a happy ending but do you really want to end up working in a town you hate with constant reminders of a relationship that went sour?

Factor in your friends. It’s always nice to have a support system when starting over in a new city. Reach out to your network and friends and see who’s living where. Starting over isn’t nearly as hard when you have friends near by.

If you’re interested in moving but aren’t sure what cities to consider, in no particular order, here’s Coed Magazine’s list of 10 best cities for college grads.

Seattle, WA Median Income: $33,372 Median Monthly Rent: $942

San Francisco, CA Median Income: $38,448 Median Monthly Rent: $1,259

Omaha, NE Median Income: $27,075 Median Monthly Rent: $711

Colorado Springs, CO Median Income: $26,977 Median Monthly Rent: $802

Charlotte, NC Median Income: $28,386 Median Monthly Rent: $774

Washington, DC Median Income: $40,952 Median Monthly Rent: $1,226

New York, N.Y. Median Income: $34,039 Median Monthly Rent: $1,072

Boston, MA Median Income: $36,174 Median Monthly Rent: $1,112

Philadelphia, PA Median Income: $30,974 Median Monthly Rent: $895

Baltimore, MD Median Income: $32,994 Median Monthly Rent: $972

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